1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a winch, and more specifically to the drive housing for such a winch, and the apparatus and method of assembling the drive components of the winch in the housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most relevant prior art known to the applicant herein is a winch manufactured by Warn Industries, Inc., of Kent, Wash., the assignee of the present invention. That winch comprises a cable winding drum supported on each end by two housings, namely a main drive housing containing the drive components of the winch, and an opposite idler housing. These two housings each have forwardly facing contact surfaces which fit against a bracket on a bumper or other support structure to which the winch is mounted and are secured thereto. This winch further comprises a motor which transmits power through a speed reducing gear transmission to a first drive cam having an axially facing cam surface which engages an axially facing cam face of a second driven cam which in turn through a further speed reducing transmission drives the cable winding drum of the winch. A clutch-brake assembly is operatively connected to the two cams, this assembly comprising a first shoe connected to the first cam to rotate therewith, a second shoe connected to the second cam to rotate therewith, and a ratchet plate positioned between the two shoes.
When a winch is mounted to a support bracket at the front bumper location of an automobile, it is quite common that the winch be required to perform a variety of tasks, such as dragging a large object while the vehicle is stationary, or actually moving the vehicle itself by attaching the free end of the winch cable to a stationary object and reeling in the cable to pull the vehicle toward that object. The rather substantial tension loads exerted on the cable are transmitted to the winch drum, which in turn transmits these loads through the end housing structure to the vehicle bumper bracket. Thus the drive housing of the winch, in addition to its function of containing and providing adequate support to the drive components of the winch, must function as a rugged structural member capable of withstanding substantial force.
In the prior art winch described above, the drive housing is constructed of a main housing section having substantially its entire outwardly facing side portion open, and a large side cover plate to close this opening. The side plate is secured to the main housing section by a number of bolts spaced around the periphery of the side plate. To assemble the components of the winch, the main housing section and its side plate are initially separate, and the various drive components are inserted laterally into the main drive housing section, after which the side plate is bolted into place. To provide adequate structural strength for the assembled housing, fifteen bolts and two locking pins are required to secure the side plate to the main drive housing section and relatively thick walls in addition to structural reinforcing is required for the main housing section. While the prior art winch described above operates satisfactorily, there is still a need to simplify the structure, improve the load carrying capacity of the housing relative to its weight, and provide for the more convenient assembly of the winch components.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to supply such a need.